Toilet Intake Hose ….modification

[sailcapt340]

Today I just could not get the seawater water intake hose off the thru hull, to winterize the toilet. So I had to cut the hose to be able to pump antifreeze from the gallon into the toilet.
Has anyone modified their hose with a ”T” fitting or something else like it to be able to get antifreeze into the pump handle of the toilet?
My thought is if I had a way of connecting a hose to the line I wouldn’t have to remove it from the thru hull. It involved a whole lot of shaking on the thru hull to free the hose and I just didn’t want to do that.
I have enough play in the hose to be able to reattach it to the thru hull, the hose slid off the pump handle side easy enough. I used Super Lube on the hose fittings for just this reason but I guess not enough on the thru hull side.
Thank you for your help and suggestions to make this easier.
By the way, there’s a lot of water in that line and the pump handle itself, so don’t skip this step.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Super Lube is mandatory but one other item which is also mandatory for getting hoses both On and OFF is a hair dryer, not a heat gun, as one can get carried away and damage the hose. Turns the impossible into the reasonable.

 

[jssailem]

I think the idea was from @Peggie Hall HeadMistress . She will, I hope, will correct me if I am wrong.

Run the sink drain down to the thru hull. In the middle install a T fitting. Open the thru hull, water from sink dumps overboard. Pump the head and raw water comes in from the thru hull.

Shut the through hull, fill the sink, and you can pump fresh water from the sink drain into the head. Fill the sink with antifreeze (first empty the water lines and the holding tank) and you could pump the AF. From the sink drain into the head.

I think I got that correct.

 

[Tally Ho]

I have thought of putting a T in my engine intake hose for the same reason…very poor access to the clamps on the hose barb on my strainer. The T I was looking at has hose barbs on the 2 ends, and a hose thread with cap on the middle opening. So you remove the cap, and screw on a short piece of garden hose.

Something like this…

But, I haven’t done it yet…put up with bloody knuckles again this haulout.


Greg

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

You got it 99% correct. The tee in the sink drain needs to be as close to the seacock as possible to put it below the waterline to make it possible flush with sea water.

I got this idea from a Tartan owner in the mid-'90s..Tartan used to plumb their toilet intake lines this way. I liked it so much that I began recommending it as the way to flush the sea water out of the entire system--intake line, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl and the discharge line. pouring fresh water into the bowl only rinses out the discharge line. This not only provides a way to rinse out the entire system, it provides a safe way to flush with fresh water...just close the seacock and flush with water from the sink.

--Peggie

 

[sailcapt340]

I thank you all for your guidance. My sink drain has its own separate thru hull, with a 1 1/2 inch hose. My toilet has its own thru hull with a 1 inch hose connecting to the toilet. I may not be picturing what is being described and how to plumb that in.
The T fitting Greg is showing looks like a fitting I can use directly into the intake hose, just after the thru hull. I have enough room in the area to place it.
I have one like it on my engine for flushing out that system when needed. I never thought of it.
Thank you all again.

 

[jssailem]

I have a 1.5" thru hull and a 3/4" thru hull in the head. The 1.5" thruhull provides a dump for the holding tank. The Sink and the Head use the 3/4" thru hull.

The T in question is a simple 3/4" T.


Simple and efficient. Placed as Peggie clarified. Below the water line at the thru hull.

This set up reduced the need for an additional thru hull just for raw water at the head.

 

[east coaster]

An auto parts store has a tee with a hose fitting and dual barbs that they sell for flushing your car radiator with whatever. I have it installed just after my engine sea suction. I close the sea suction, unscrew the top of the tee and connect a fresh water hose or an antifreeze line. Works great can use when in the water or on the hard, just close the sea suction to avoid mixing things up.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Sink drain thru-hulls are below the waterline on almost all sailboats. So disconnect the toilet intake hose from the thru-hull (close the seacock first!) and r-route it to tee or wye it into the sink drain line as close to the seacock as possible because the connection must be below waterline to work. You'll be left with an unused thru-hull that you can repurpose to use for a washdown pump and probably be able to shorten the intake line.

This will allow you to flush normally with sea water. After you’ve closed the sink drain seacock in preparation to close up the boat (you do close all seacocks before leaving the boat to sit??), fill the sink with clean fresh water and flush the toilet. Because the seacock is closed, the toilet will draw the water out of the sink, rinsing the sea water out of the entire system—intake line, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl and the discharge line,(Water poured into the bowl only rinses out the toilet discharge line). If your toilet is electric, be careful not to let it run dry…doing so can burn out the intake impeller. Or you can keep the sink drain seacock closed except when it's needed to drain the sink and flush with fresh water down the sink all the time...your choice.
It may also be necessary to keep the sink plugged except when in use, with a rubber sink plug or by installing a conveniently located shut-off valve in the drain hose. Otherwise the toilet may pull air through the sink when you try to flush, preventing the pump from priming. To add antifreeze to the system, make sure the sink drain thru-hull is closed and pour it down the sink.

Just flushing antifreeze through the toilet does not protect the pump or the bowl because anything poured into the bowl just goes out the discharge line, it does not circulate through the intake line, pump and channel in the rim of the bowl. If you're still using the toilet intake thru-hull, disconnect the intake line from it (close the thruhull first!)...stick it into the jug of antifreeze and flush the toilet.

--Peggie

 

[sailcapt340]

It took me a while to picture it, which happens from time to time. Might be an age thing, I’ll never admit it though. But I got it now! Please accept my deepest thanks Peggy and Jim.
I like the idea of freeing up a thru hull as well.
Gregs plan was my first thought, as it is the line closest to the vanity door and would eliminate the cut up knuckles I know will happen reaching back into the closet. So thank you Greg.
Now I have my choices and clear image of the project.
Again, Thank you all.

 

[WayneH]

Normally, the sink drain is closed. we open it at night to brush our teeth then reclose it afterwards.

 

[Dalliance]

See this previous discussion. It’s covers exactly what you’re asking about.

New winterizing mod - done!

I already winterized this season but this was a project I wanted to get done for the future. I'm wanting to avoid having to pour RV antifreeze in my fresh water tank to winterize my potable water lines, pump, valves etc. I just don't like it sitting at the bottom of the water tank all winter...

forums.sailboatowners.com

I’ve now added 3-way valves and permanent winterizing hoses for my water system, head and engine.

 

[Richard19068]

The couple of tee's shown above look like plastic or maybe nylon. Are these okay for below water line use?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Nylon is fine for below decks use. but it has no UV resistance...exposure to natural light turns it into powder. So whether it's acceptable for exterior use below-waterline depends on how far below waterline and whether heeling can expose it to daylight. Marelon or schdule 80 PVC would be a much better choice.

--Peggie

 

[Richard19068]

Nylon is fine for below decks use. but it has no UV resistance...exposure to natural light turns it into powder. So whether it's acceptable for exterior use below-waterline depends on how far below waterline and whether heeling can expose it to daylight. Marelon or schdule 80 PVC would be a much better choice.

--Peggie

Thanks. I'm talking about interior below waterline use. To clarify, is it okay to use a nylon tee below the waterline between the seacock, the intake line and the sink drain?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

There's very little if any UV damage to anything INSIDE a boat...You can use nylon anywhere below decks.

--Peggie

 

[Richard19068]

There's very little if any UV damage to anything INSIDE a boat...You can use nylon anywhere below decks.

--Peggie

Thanks. For some reason I thought nylon hose connections were not suitable for below waterline use. Not because of UV degradation but because of strength and crushability.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

as anyone modified their hose with a ”T” fitting or something else like it to be able to get antifreeze into the pump handle of the toilet?

Why would you want to get antifreeze into the pump handle? It needs to be drawn into the bowl by sticking the end of it that you've removed from the thruhull into the jug so you can flush it through the entire system--intake line, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl AND out the discharge line to the tank-by simply pumping the toilet.
--Peggie

 

[sailcapt340]

Probably a wrong choice of wording on my part. I mean using the handle to get the antifreeze through the system, not keeping the antifreeze in the handle. Just need an easier way to add the antifreeze in an area that is not designed to remove hoses without shaking, moving thru hulls beyond a reasonable amount.
All great help from what I read in the responses.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

My sink drain has its own separate thru hull, with a 1 1/2 inch hose. My toilet has its own thru hull with a 1 inch hose connecting to the toilet. I may not be picturing what is being described and how to plumb that in./QUOTE]

Disconnect the intake line from the thru-hull (close the seacock first!) or just cut it and re-route it to tee into the head sink drain line below the waterline...you'll likely be able to shorten it doing this. That's all there is to it. You CAN leave the intake line connected to the thru hull and tee another line into it to go to the sink drain, but WHY?? Rerouting the intake line to the sink drain line frees up the toilet intake thru-hull for a washdown pump...and also lets you use the sink to run antifreeze through the entire system.

--Peggie